While the word “monochromatic” might elicit images of all neutral spaces bathed in beige, remember that the word actually means “consisting of one color." Meaning a room decked out in pink—hot, baby or rose—would be monochromatic (and quite alluring, if you’re into pink). We’ve rounded up as many monochromatic rooms as we could, in as many different hues as we could, to prove that you don’t have to stuff a ton of different colors in a space to make it colorful. As soft and neutral a monochromatic room can be, it can also be pretty bold, as the evidence will prove:
1) Mix and Match Styles with a Monochromatic Palette
2) I on Design
3) Old House Magazine
4) Desire to Inspire
5) Albano Daminato via Desire to Inspire
6) Monochromatic Kitchens from Miles Redd
7) Charles Allem via Desire to Inspire
8) Laura Casey Interiors
9) Owen Design Associates via Desire to Inspire
10) Living at Home via Desire to Inspire
What do you think about monochromatic rooms? Interesting, or too...monochromatic? If you were to design a monochromatic room, which color would you go with? What color could you absolutely not live in as a monochromatic room? Let us know!
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Comments (3)
I guess it depends on how you define "monochromatic". The green and blue rooms above are both color and white, which is two colors, not one. The neutral rooms (my favorites) are actually a blend of more than just shades of brown -- they have gray and black and gold...
The all white rooms always look like a tank of white paint exploded, to me -- they need SOME color, at least warmer and cooler whites, maybe.
The black and the red rooms are, in my opinion, unlivable. I wouldn't be comfortable there even as a short term guest.
Truly monochromatic spaces would have shades and tints of one color only. "White" would be a very light tint of the main color, and black would be ever so slightly colored as well. And it's a mode I see no reason ever to do! Just a bit of another color (particularly the complement) livens up monochromatic schemes so much I can't imagine not using some.
My domestic partner keeps talking about having a room that looks like a black and white TV show -- the only color coming from the people in it. I won't let him waste the real estate that way, though!!!
While I am all for enthusiastically embracing one color, SherryBinNH is right about these (mostly) not being monochromatic rooms. Varied shades of light, medium and dark blue, green, gray or even purple give a room depth and interest. These rooms can be soothing and comfortable to live in. Pairing one color with white, as in those above, can be fresh....or jarring depending on how its done and what the color is.
All white rooms need to have variations in the warmth or they just look cold and sterile. I can imagine myself freezing to death in one.
As for me, I am a particular fan of brown (yes, I know, boring). My own monochromatic choice then would be various shades of brown, mushroom, or warm grey, balanced with plenty of the pale end of the spectrum. And to top it off a soupcon of pink. Oh, WAIT! I just described the cover of the Nov. issue of Elle Decor!!
Very Masque of the Red Death.